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No. 609,474. Patened Aug. 23', |898. E. F. STECK.

DRY PIPE VALVE FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS.

,. (Application'med Jan. 14, 189s.) v

N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

INVENTR WITNE ES: ff/@ #W ATTOR N EY THE Nonms PEYERS co., pHoro-uma..wAsHmmcN. u. c

No. 609,474. Patented Aug. 23, |398.

K E. F. STECK. DRY PIPE 'VALVE FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS.

(Application led Jan. 14, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Shet 2.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR www sSEs:

ERNST F. STECK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRE'EXTINGUIS'HER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE AND NEV YORK, N. Y.

DRY-PIPE VALVE FOR FIRE-EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 609,474, dated August23, 1898. Application filed January 14, 1898. Serial Nol 666,617. (Nomodel.)

To LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST F. STECK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Dry-Pipe Valves forFire-EX- tin guishing Systems, of which the followingis a specification.

In the construction and operation of drypipe systems forfire-extinguishing plants it is necessary to maintain a back pressurein` the so-called dry pipe, which back pressure may amount to fivepounds (more or less) per square inch in excess of the atmosphericpressure, which is secured by the introduction of atmospheric air bymeans of a force-pump, which pressure operates while in its normal andundisturbed condition to control the water-pipe system, between whichand the exits or distributing-milices the dry pipes lie. I have found byexperiment that it is necessary in order to secure the nieety of poiseor balance between the backward pressure in the dry pipes and theforward pressure of the water-supply to introduce one or more valvessufficiently sensitive to respond immediately tothe reduction ofpressure of air in the drypipe system and yet firm enough to maintain atall other times the forward water-pressure regardless of its amount. Theparticular mechanism for arriving at these results is embodied in theaccompanying drawings, which form a partof this specification, in which-Figure l represents a vertical section of the apparatus for controllingthe dry-pipe system. Fig. 2 is an end view of the main valvecasing withthe automatic releasing mechanism removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionof my invention, showing the apparatus in active operation after therelease of the water in the dry-pipe system.

In the drawings, A represents the main entry-pipe for thefire-extinguishing fluid, which may be from one, two, or more sources,and A the chamberforming the terminal of pipe A and in which the mainvalve and the controlling-valve, hereinafter described, are locatedandin which they operate. The main valve is shown at B and its seatisshown at C.

Y Then the valve B is withdrawn from the seat AC, the water-supplyentering the pipe A into the chamber A will iiow through the valve B Cinto the chamber D and from thence through the gravity-Valve E, liftingthe latterin its progress into the chamber F. The chamber F forms thelower terminal of the dry-pipe system, and when the fire-extinguishingfluid, proceeding in the manner above described, reaches the chamber Fit will iiow continuously therethrough and into the duid-distributingsystem (not shown) by means of thepipe G.

Normally and while the apparatus is in the state of rest the valves Band E are closed, as shown in Fig. l, and the air resident in thechamber F and the pipe G and the Huid-distributing system called thedry-pipe7 system will press down upon the valve E and hold it closed.The pipe G is connected by the pipe I-I to a chamber J, the latter beingprovided with a valve K, resting on seat L and having a stem M, whichextends downwardly through the chamber J and bears against a lever ofthe valve-operating mechanism, which I shall describe. The downwardpressure exerted upon the valve K is sufficient, while the apparatus isin its normal condition, to keep the valve K against the seat L.

I will now proceed to describe the valve locking and releasingmechanism.

At N, I show a frame in which is pivoted at N a lever I), the latterhaving at its outer end a plate p, which forms a bearing for a cam R,pivoted at r and having a lever eX- tension S. At T, I show a looselever fulcrumed at upon the frame N and held iby a hook s on the leverSat one end, pressing upwardly, through the medium of floating piecevcounterbalancing-valve IV, the latter seating against the seat X on themain valve-chamber A.

At Y, I show4 a weight-carrying lever at` tached to the lever S and at Zthe screw for adjusting the position of the weight-carrying lever.

The method of operation of my apparatus is as follows: The dry-pipesystem, properly terminating at the valve E in the chamber F and thevalve K in the-chamber J, being filled with air at a pressure greaterthan atmospheric pressuresay five pounds or more in addition to theatmospheric pressureserves to retain said valves in a closed position,and so long as the valve K is closed and resting firmly on its seat thelocking mechanism hereinbefore described will remain in its normal andlocked position. Upon the release, however, of the air in the dry-pipesystem, as by the burning out of a fuse or otherwise, the air will rushout of the said drypipe system and the Valve K will rise in the chamberJ by reason of the weight imposed upon it from below. As soon as thevalve K is lifted the locking mechanism will be thrown out of its normalposition, as shown in Fig. 3, and the lever P, turning on the point N',will draw the stem V downwardly, which action will cause the valve B todescend, thus opening a way betweenthe main entrance A and the dry-pipesystem. The water or other extinguishing fluid will rush through thepipe A into the chamber A through the valve B C, opening the valve E,and so on into the chamber F and pipe G.

It will be seen that in carrying my invention into effect that when thearea of the valve B, exposed to the ordinary water-pressure in thechamber A', is greater than that exposed by the valve W to the sameinfiuence the preponderance of pressure upon the valve B by reason ofthe greater area will hold it up against its seat and will likewise, byreason of the connecting-stem B, hold the valve W up against its seat.This preponderance of pressure can be made very slight, thereby securinga delicacy of operation, and the excess of the pressure on the valve Bover the valve W can be easily overcome when so balanced by the droppingof the weight aforesaid, and although the greater the internal pressureof the water supply upon these valves the tighter the valve B will beheld up against the seat yet in every case, by reason of the approximatebalance of the two valves, a downpull of a few pounds on valve-stein V,connecting with val ve W, will open the valve B, even if thewater-pressure equals a thousand pounds to a square inch or even more.

It will also be seen that a water-hammer cannot open the valve B, andthe more violent the action in this respect the tighter the said valvewill maintain its closure.

It will be seen also that upon the shutting off of the water-supply thevalves B and IV can be taken out, examined, cleaned, and replaced againwithout disturbing the pressure in the dry-pipe system whatever.

It will also be seen that after the valve B is once opened through theoperation hereinbefore described it cannot close again under anycircumstances, and by reason of this fact the system cannot becomewater-columned.

The device constitutes an automatic drypipe valve which obviates, Ibelieve, all the drawbacks hitherto accompanying such form of valve andis adapted to discharge its ofices and respond to the necessaryconditions of automatic sprinkling apparatus in an entirely satisfactorymanner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an automatic dry-pipe valve, the combination with a dry-pipesystem, a water-supply pipe terminating in a chamber as shown, saidchamber having an outlet into the drypipe system, a main valve governingsaid outlet, a counterbalancing-valve of lesser area than the main valveand fixedly secured thereto locatedin said chamber and exposed to theWater-pressure therein so as to partly counteract the pressure on themain valve, a stem on the counterbalancing-valve, and operating meanssubstantially as shown and described connected to said stem and to thedry-pipe system, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic dry-pipe valve, the combination of the mainsupply-pipe, a dry-pipe system, the main valve held closed by thewater-pressure, a counterbalancing -valve connected thereto of a lesserarea than the main valve and also exposed to the waterpressure,automatic releasing mechanism connected to the controlling-valve-and tothe dry-pipe system, and a valve located in the dry-pipe system andholding the releasing mechanism in check, as and for the purpose setforth. v

3. In an automatic dry-pipe valve, the combination of a mainwater-supply pipe A, the chamber A, main valve B, counterbalancingvalveW of lesser area, connecting-stem B, a stem V upon thecounterbalancing-valve, an operating-lever I), a valve K in the drypipesystem, and mechanism substantially as shown and described extendingbetween the said valve K and the leverP and adapted to operate upon thewithdrawal of the air-pressure from the valve K, as and for the purposeset forth.

ERNST F. STECK.

Witnesses:

O. S. DooLIrTLE, A. A. ToMLIN.

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